What Time Is It in Atlanta, GA Right Now?

If you searched for “Atlanta GA current time,” you’re likely trying to figure out what time it is in Atlanta right now and how Atlanta’s time compares to other places. Whether you’re catching a flight into Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, scheduling a call with someone in another state, or planning a visit, understanding how time works in Atlanta, Georgia will help you stay on schedule.

Because this page is static and your device clock may differ, always double-check the current local time in Atlanta on a trusted clock or device. What doesn’t change is how Atlanta’s time is defined, what time zone it uses, and when it observes Daylight Saving Time—and that’s exactly what this guide explains.

Atlanta’s Time Zone at a Glance

Atlanta, Georgia uses the:

• Time zone: Eastern Time
• Standard time name:Eastern Standard Time (EST)
• Daylight time name:Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
• Standard time offset:UTC−5
• Daylight time offset:UTC−4

In plain language:
Atlanta follows the same time as New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami.

Quick Time Zone Reference for Atlanta

Note: Exact calendar dates for the switch vary slightly year to year but follow a predictable pattern.

When Does Atlanta Change Clocks?

Atlanta does observe Daylight Saving Time (DST), along with the rest of Georgia and most of the Eastern United States.

Here’s the usual pattern:

Spring: Clocks “Spring Forward”

• When: The second Sunday in March
• What happens: At 2:00 a.m., clocks move forward to 3:00 a.m.
• Effect: You lose one hour of overnight time
• Resulting time zone: Atlanta switches from EST (UTC−5) to EDT (UTC−4)

This shift means that evenings in Atlanta stay lighter longer, which many people find useful for outdoor activities, events, and commuting.

Fall: Clocks “Fall Back”

• When: The first Sunday in November
• What happens: At 2:00 a.m., clocks move back to 1:00 a.m.
• Effect: You gain one hour overnight
• Resulting time zone: Atlanta returns from EDT (UTC−4) to EST (UTC−5)

Many Atlantans treat this night as an extra hour of sleep, but it also affects shift work, late-night transportation schedules, and early-morning flights.

How Atlanta’s Time Compares to Other Cities

If you live elsewhere or are coordinating with people in other states or countries, it helps to know how far ahead or behind Atlanta is.

Within the United States

Assuming standard time (EST in Atlanta):

• Atlanta vs. New York / Washington, D.C. / Miami
  • Same time
• Atlanta vs. Chicago (Central Time)
  • Chicago is usually 1 hour behind Atlanta
• Atlanta vs. Denver (Mountain Time)
  • Denver is usually 2 hours behind Atlanta
• Atlanta vs. Los Angeles (Pacific Time)
  • Los Angeles is usually 3 hours behind Atlanta

During Daylight Saving Time, these differences generally stay the same, because most of the U.S. shifts together. The main exception is states or territories that do not observe DST (such as most of Arizona and Hawaii), so double-check those if you’re coordinating with them.

Atlanta vs. Other Parts of the World

Because Atlanta uses Eastern Time (UTC−5 or UTC−4):

• When Atlanta is on EST (UTC−5)

  • London (UTC±0 in winter) is usually 5 hours ahead
  • Paris/Berlin (UTC+1 in winter) are usually 6 hours ahead

• When Atlanta is on EDT (UTC−4)

  • London (on British Summer Time, UTC+1) is usually 5 hours ahead
  • Paris/Berlin (on Central European Summer Time, UTC+2) are usually 6 hours ahead

For international calls, online classes, or remote work with overseas teams, it’s safest to use a world clock or time zone converter and confirm whether Atlanta is currently on EST or EDT.

Why “Current Time in Atlanta” Can Be Confusing

People often get tripped up on the current time in Atlanta for a few common reasons:

1. Daylight Saving Time differences
   Not every state or country changes clocks on the same date—or at all. Someone in Arizona or a country without DST may be surprised when Atlanta suddenly seems an hour earlier or later.

2. Travel through multiple U.S. time zones
   If you’re flying cross-country to or from Atlanta, you may pass through Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones. Departure and arrival times printed on tickets are always local to the airport, not your home time.

3. Online events listed in “ET”
   Many national events and broadcasts list their times as ET (Eastern Time) without specifying EST or EDT. For Atlanta, “ET” always means your local time, regardless of whether you’re currently on standard or daylight time.

4. Device settings
   If your phone, laptop, or watch is set to a different time zone—or to manual time instead of automatic—the “current time in Atlanta” displayed may be off, especially when you first arrive in the city.

Checking the Current Local Time Once You’re in Atlanta

When you’re physically in Atlanta, you can rely on:

• Smartphones and computers:

  • Set your device to “Set time automatically” and “Use network-provided time zone”.
  • Your phone should show Eastern Time and handle DST automatically.

• Digital transit and airport clocks:

  • Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) displays local time throughout the terminals.
  • MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) stations and digital boards typically reflect local Atlanta time for train and bus schedules.

• Television and radio schedules:

  • Local stations in Atlanta list their shows in Eastern Time, the same time your clocks should show.

If you recently arrived from another time zone and feel unsure, comparing your phone time to a wall clock in a hotel lobby, airport, or major public building in Atlanta is a simple way to confirm.

Time in Atlanta and Transportation Schedules

Being clear on the current time in Atlanta matters a lot when you’re dealing with:

Flights into and out of Atlanta

• All departure and arrival times at ATL are listed in Atlanta local time (ET).
• If you’re flying to another time zone, your boarding pass and screen displays will still show local time at each airport.
• Red-eye flights or early-morning departures near the DST change dates (March and November) can be especially confusing—double-check times with your airline.

MARTA Buses and Trains

• MARTA runs on local Atlanta time, both during EST and EDT.
• Printable schedules and posted timetables are based on the current local time in Atlanta, so your phone (set to local time) should match what MARTA uses.

Intercity Buses and Trains

If you’re using Greyhound, Megabus, or Amtrak in or out of Atlanta:

• Departure and arrival times at Atlanta Peachtree Station or bus terminals are listed in local Atlanta time.
• If you’re continuing on to another time zone (for example, heading west), your arrival time will be local to that destination city.

Time in Atlanta for Visitors and New Residents

If you’re coming to live in or visit Atlanta from another region, here’s what you need to know:

If You’re Coming from the U.S. East Coast

• You won’t experience a time change if you’re arriving from cities like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., or Miami.
• Your phones and watches set to Eastern Time will already match Atlanta’s current time.

If You’re Coming from the Central, Mountain, or Pacific Time Zones

• From Central Time (e.g., Dallas, Nashville, Chicago):
  • Atlanta is 1 hour ahead.
• From Mountain Time (e.g., Denver, Phoenix*):
  • Atlanta is 2 hours ahead, but Phoenix often doesn’t observe DST, so offsets to Atlanta can vary by season.
• From Pacific Time (e.g., Los Angeles, Seattle):
  • Atlanta is 3 hours ahead.

Plan your sleep schedule, meetings, or event attendance accordingly to avoid showing up an hour (or more) too early or late.

If You’re Coming from Overseas

• When you land at ATL, the clocks and public announcements all reflect local Atlanta time.
• Your smartphone should automatically switch to Eastern Time once it connects to a local network.
• If you’re dealing with jet lag, remember that Atlanta’s time zone is Eastern Time, and it may be five to eight hours behind or ahead of many European, South American, or African time zones depending on location and season.

Time and Official Services in Atlanta

Many Atlanta-area public offices and services schedule everything according to local Eastern Time—which matters when you’re making appointments or filing time-sensitive paperwork.

A few examples:

• City of Atlanta Municipal Court
• Fulton County Government Center (downtown Atlanta)
• Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport offices and counters
• Georgia State Government offices located in Atlanta (e.g., near the Capitol complex)

If you have a court date, license appointment, or meeting with a local agency, the time printed on your paperwork is always Atlanta local time, and Daylight Saving Time changes are already built into their scheduling.

Quick Checklist: Staying on the Right Time in Atlanta

Use this simple list to keep yourself on track:

• ✅ Know the time zone: Atlanta uses Eastern Time (ET)—EST in winter, EDT in summer.
• ✅ Confirm your device settings: Turn on automatic time and time zone on your phone.
• ✅ Watch for DST changes:
  • Second Sunday in March: Clocks move forward (EST → EDT).
  • First Sunday in November: Clocks move back (EDT → EST).
• ✅ Traveling? Remember that listed times at ATL and local transit are always in Atlanta’s current local time.
• ✅ Coordinating with others? Double-check differences with Central, Mountain, Pacific, and international time zones, especially around DST switch dates.

Understanding how current time in Atlanta, GA is set—its time zone, DST schedule, and relation to other cities—helps you stay on time for flights, meetings, events, and everyday life in the city.